Who Knew?
by thesilentpath
Summary: What happens when Santana, Rachel, and Quinn return in senior year changed in dramatic and subtle ways?  Will New Directions survive or will they be ripped apart?  Warnings:  Language, sexual content, and D/s themes.
1. Rumors, Gossip, and Innuendo

**Title:** Who Knew?

**Chapter 1: **Rumors, Gossip, and Innuendo

**Character(s):** Santana Lopez, Rachel Berry, Quinn Fabray (main characters)

**Rating:** M for possible adult content

**Genre:** Hurt/Comfort/Coming Out

**Description:** An AU Glee Story starting after Season 2. The members of New Directions have returned from the summer break with new friendships, new couples, new alliances, and new enemies. Will they survive to win Nationals or will they be unable to come together as a team.

* * *

><p><em>Glee and the characters of Glee do not belong to me, they belong to Fox Network. This is fan fiction only.<em>

_I welcome feedback and suggestions._

_This story will be focused primarily on Santana Lopez, Rachel Berry, and Quinn Fabray. I haven't decided on all the couple matches yet and everything is fluid and up and the air. I left some hints in the first chapter about the current status of several couples but these things are not set in stone, I am going to allow this story to flow fluidly and am not going to try to fit it to any particular ship._

_Santana Lopez is a lesbian in this story and her sexuality will not be in doubt whatsoever, she will not be dating male characters. I haven't decided if any of the common ships will even end up together, I am keeping things open and fluid at this point. Santana and Brittany had a falling and at the beginning of Senior Year their friendship is strained._

_This AU story takes place after the events of Season 2 and the episode "New York". I may take things from Season 3 and use them in my story but I will not follow canon after Season 2. _

* * *

><p><strong>Who Knew?<strong>

**Chapter 1: Rumors, Gossip, and Innuendo**

Whispers were everywhere on the first day back to school. When she walked in the doors dressed in her overalls with glasses on everyone did a double take and couldn't believe their eyes. When they noticed the t-shirt she had on underneath the overalls it was almost more than any of them could actually handle. Santana Lopez was wearing a Gay Pride 2011 t-shirt to school and her glasses and she didn't seem to care who noticed her. Everyone waited with baited breath for the slushies to fly at Santana that day but none came. Some of the kids said that Noah Puckerman had made it known far and wide that if anyone touched Santana they would be dead, some said it may have been David Karofsky that said it.

During the school assembly that morning Principal Figgins, David Karofsky, and Noah Puckerman took the stage and advised that the anti-bullying club was open for new membership and that it would now be called the McKinley Guardians and David was president of the club. Principal Figgins made it known that McKinley High now has a zero tolerance policy for bullying and that even slushy attacks will result in an immediate 2 day suspension. Everyone looked toward Santana Lopez to see what her reaction was but she appeared to be reading her AP History text book during the assembly and wasn't really paying attention at all to what was happening on stage. Once again everyone did a double take realizing that Santana Lopez and Rachel Berry were actually sitting beside each other at school and Santana looked up to clap for David when Rachel nudged her shoulder.

Rumors spread like wildfire all over school that day, was Santana Lopez a lesbian? There had been rumors last year about her sexuality but now everyone was openly talking about it. Another rumor going around was that Santana Lopez had been kicked out by her parents over the summer and that she was actually living with Rachel Berry of all people. During lunch hour Santana Lopez was seen in the choir room playing the piano and singing songs with Rachel Berry, this bit of news almost shocked the McKinley student body to its core, Rachel Berry and Santana Lopez were friends? When did this happen?

Of course Santana Lopez wasn't the only former Glee clubber being talked about that day and Jacob Ben Israel could barely keep up with all the blogging he had on his plate...

Quinn Fabray showed up at school with Tina Cohen-Chang sporting a punk look that shocked the entire student body. Quinn had short hair dyed pink, a very short black skirt, fishnet stockings, a t-shirt saying "Hell is so hot right now" and an upside down cross around her neck. Everyone gave Quinn a wide berth that day, if she was scary before as an HBIC Cheerio, she was a 100 times scarier now as an HBIC punk goth queen. The expression on Quinn's face wasn't any different than when she used to be a Cheerio, there was a glare in her eyes that if anyone messed with her they would most definitely wish they were dead after. If anything most people thought Quinn actually looked like she would kill someone if they even dared to talk to her. When Jacob Ben Israel tried to move in and take a picture of Quinn, she gave him a look so intimidating that he ran away screaming and threw himself into a dumpster in the hope Quinn wouldn't be able to follow him.

Brittany S Pierce arrived at school as Head Cheerio on the arm of one Mike Chang, it looked like Brittany and Mike might be the new power couple at McKinley High. Rumors had it that Mike Chang had won the quarterback spot during football tryouts and was now the star quarterback for McKinley High.

Finn Hudson showed up looking mopier than usual and glaring at Rachel Berry, Quinn Fabray, and Santana Lopez. Everyone gave Finn a wide berth as it was quite obvious that he wasn't in a mood to be questioned about what was going on. When Jacob Ben Israel tried to approach Finn that day he found himself lifted off the floor and pressed against the lockers with Finn looking like he was going to rip Jacob apart. Jacob was actually rescued by David Karofsky of all people who managed to talk Finn down with the help of Kurt Hummel.

A new student named Blaine Anderson started as a Senior that day and everyone remembered him from the Junior Prom last year as Kurt Hummel's boyfriend. The two boys walked the halls together even holding hands occasionally. Only one incident occurred that day involving Kurt and Blaine, when some of the hockey jocks tried to approach the two boys and it looked like something bad was going to happen, suddenly Noah Puckerman, David Karofsky, Mike Chang, Sam Evans, and Finn Hudson all appeared and after a few tense moments the hockey jocks backed off.

Noah Puckerman made it known to all the girls at school that he was a free agent on campus again and he openly flirted with practically every girl he saw in the halls. A few girls noticed though that Quinn Fabray seemed to glare their way more intensely if she was nearby when they talked to Puck and the girls had the good sense to get as far away from him as possible before this new Quinn decided to do more than glare at them.

Mercedes Jones and Sam Evans arrived at school together holding hands and looking happier than anyone had ever seen them before. Most people thought they were the cutest couple in school even though they were both a bit nerdy.

During study period Artie Abrams, Tina Cohen-Chang, and Quinn Fabray were seen talking and doing homework together in the library. Rumor had it that all three of them were in full AP courses and all trying for academic scholarships this year. Most people were astonished to hear that Santana Lopez had actually topped the Honor Roll in Junior year and Artie Abrams had come in a close second place to her. It was rumored around school that Santana and Artie were the students to beat for valedictorian in Senior Year.

The strangest rumor of all was that Quinn Fabray and Artie Abrams were seen talking by themselves in an empty classroom just before lunch. Another rumor was that Rachel Berry and Quinn Fabray had a very heated argument in the girls washroom about Glee club and then the two girls had stormed away from each other right after.

The last rumors heard that day were that Mike Chang and Noah Puckerman were announced as co-captains of the Football team and Rachel Berry and Santana Lopez were announced as co-captains of the Glee club. Finn Hudson was seen storming out of Glee club, Santana Lopez was seen crying and being comforted by Rachel Berry and Tina Cohen-Chang, and Quinn Fabray was seen leaving school with some of the punk kids and didn't attend Glee club at all.

For a club that was considered the nerdiest at school some students were amazed to realize that all the members of the New Directions were the most gossiped about at school. Perhaps all the music and dancing made them more dramatic and interesting than other students, perhaps the Glee club was becoming more popular than ever before. The captains of the Football Team, the Cheerios captain, and some of the more popular students were all on the Glee club now.

* * *

><p><em>The song "Who Knew?" by Pink inspired this story and will be used at some point in the early chapters.<em>


	2. A Song of Rage

**Title:** Who Knew?

**Chapter 2: **A Song of Rage

**Character(s):** Santana Lopez, Rachel Berry, Quinn Fabray (main characters)

**Rating:** M for possible adult content

**Genre:** Hurt/Comfort/Coming Out

**Description:** On the 1st day of school Santana Lopez receives her first hate note in her locker causing her to recall the events of the summer that forced her to come out finally to her parents.

* * *

><p><em>Glee and the characters of Glee do not belong to me, they belong to Fox Network. This is fan fiction only.<em>

_The lyrics for the song "Who Knew" is property of Pink.  
><em>

_I welcome feedback and suggestions._

_This story will be focused primarily on Santana Lopez, Rachel Berry, and Quinn Fabray. I haven't decided on all the couple matches yet and everything is fluid and up and the air. I left some hints in the first chapter about the current status of several couples but these things are not set in stone, I am going to allow this story to flow fluidly and am not going to try to fit it to any particular ship. I may pursue some D/s relationship themes in this story but D/s is not the primary focus, my main focus is on the friendships and relationships between Santana, Rachel, and Quinn.  
><em>

_Santana Lopez is a lesbian in this story and her sexuality will not be in doubt whatsoever, she will not be dating male characters. I haven't decided if any of the common ships will even end up together, I am keeping things open and fluid at this point. Santana and Brittany had a falling and at the beginning of Senior Year their friendship is strained._

_This AU story takes place after the events of Season 2 and the episode "New York". I may take things from Season 3 and use them in my story but I will not follow canon after Season 2. _

* * *

><p><strong>Who Knew?<strong>

**_You took my hand_**  
><strong><em>You showed me how<em>**  
><strong><em>You promised me you'd be around<em>**  
><strong><em>Uh huh<em>**  
><strong><em>That's right<em>**  
><strong><em>I took your words<em>**  
><strong><em>And I believed<em>**  
><strong><em>In everything<em>**  
><strong><em>You said to me<em>**  
><strong><em>Yeah huh<em>**  
><strong><em>That's right<em>**

**Chapter 2: A song of Rage**

_"Fucking Dyke why don't you do everyone a favor and go hang yourself."_

Her hands were shaking when she read the note left in her locker, panic nearly overwhelming her. It was only after 1st period and people were already leaving hate notes in her locker. Santana ran to the bathroom and cried as the realization struck home that the bullying was already starting and she hadn't even gotten through the first day at school. She wanted to call Leroy Berry and ask him to take her home but it made her feel like too much of a coward, she thought about telling Rachel about the note but she didn't want Rachel to worry more than she already was. Santana had prepared herself mentally for this, she knew that even with the new zero tolerance policy that people would find ways to still bully her, just more sneaky and privately. Even knowing this was coming she still couldn't help feeling hurt by the meanness of the note and by the anonymous person who left it in her locker. Why did she let Rachel, Leroy, and Hiram Berry convince her to come back to Lima to finish school? She could still be in New York right now, maybe waiting tables and living in poverty, but at least in a place that accepted her for being a lesbian.

She had to finish high school, that was more important than everything, that was the argument that the Berry family had used to get her back to Lima, Ohio. How ironic that Rachel Berry would be the one to bring her back to Lima and not any of their other friends. Some would have said it should have been Brittany but after their friendship blew up in flames, Santana couldn't bring herself to reach out to Brittany for help.

Perhaps in the end it was fate that Rachel Berry was the one to step up to try and help Santana, as Santana's thoughts drifted back to the previous school year she realized that the foundations of their friendship was set long before she lost her home forever. So many things had begun to change even back before New Directions performed at Nationals and lost...

* * *

><p>** May 2011 - Two nights before the New Directions performance at the 2011 Show Choir Nationals **<p>

For just a moment in time right after the solo competition Santana and Rachel had grown closer than they had ever been in the past. When New Directions got to New York and everyone was under the gun to write the original songs before the competition Rachel was panicked that she was the only one that was even trying to write a song. It was late at night and all the girls had just gone to bed after wasting time having a pillow fight and Rachel thought that she was the only person still awake and then the hotel room door opened and Rachel realized that Santana hadn't even been in the room at all since the pillow fight.

"Rachel are you still awake?" Santana whispered to her as she stepped carefully over the girls sleeping on the floor.

"Santana where have you been, you could have gotten us all in trouble for being out past curfew." Rachel demanded as quietly as possible, also trying not to wake the other girls.

"Like you didn't do the same thing with Kurt when you both went exploring this morning, just be glad I finally convinced Q to stop trying to get revenge against you." Santana smirked at Rachel as she came up beside her.

"Oh is that why she was always staring at me and writing in her journal, I should have known she wouldn't be very impressed with me after Finn broke up with her." Rachel looked at Santana with a slightly guilty and sad expression realizing that she was partly responsible for hurting Quinn once again.

"Too much talking Berry, come with me." Santana motioned for Rachel to follow her out of the room.

"Where are you taking me? You're not trying to trick me and lock me out of the room are you?" Rachel asked suspiciously as Santana was grinning at her.

"No actually Rachel, I am about to impress you with my amazing talents." Santana grinned impishly at Rachel and tugged on Rachel's arm to convince her to get up out of the chair. "Oh, bring your notebook and laptop, we gots some song writing to do." and Santana's grin got even bigger at the look of happy surprise crossed Rachel's face.

"You were writing a song? Is that why you were gone so long Santana?" Rachel was actually smiling now, someone else actually cared enough about winning to help her write a song.

Santana put her finger to her lips to quiet Rachel, took the smaller girl's hand and carefully lead her out of the room around the sleeping figures on the floor. Before they left the room Santana grabbed Rachel's coat and handed it to her so that Rachel wouldn't just be wearing her pajamas in the hallway. Once they were in the hallway Santana brought her finger to Rachel's lips to shush her before she could start bombarding Santana with endless questions. The smile of camaraderie and the feeling of doing something slightly wrong with Santana were enough to calm Rachel's fears. This was not the Santana she saw at High School at all, it was almost like seeing what a little Santana had been like when she was younger. They were sneaking around the hotel in their pajamas and the look of happiness on Santana's face had never been there when they were at school.

After taking the stairs down several floors, Santana had them get out on the 3rd floor where some of the smaller ballrooms were. She led Rachel carefully down to the desk where the security guard was reading the newspaper. Rachel was afraid that they were going to get in trouble until she saw the friendly look on the guards face as he saw Santana approaching.

"So troublemaker, you're back are you?" The older Latino guard smiled fondly at Santana as they came up to stand before him.

"Troublemaker? I am just a poor songwriter looking for a quiet place to play my music in this cruel cruel world." Santana's very fake pout only made the guard grin and shake his finger at her.

"Well I have to admit you are probably the most unique delinquent I have ever caught exploring the hotel, breaking into the ballroom to play the piano was something that definitely surprised me." The guard got up from his desk and motioned for Rachel and Santana to follow him down the hall.

"Thanks again for doing this Andre, we are just going to use the piano for a little while, are you sure it won't get you into trouble?" Santana asked looking a little guilty that she might be getting Andre in trouble with the Hotel management.

"Nah, the managers don't come up here at night. The only reason I am watching the floor is because of all the expensive musical equipment being stored up here. You are just lucky I didn't feel like dragging your tiny little butt downstairs and writing up paperwork." As they came up to one of the ballroom doors Andre opened the door and motioned them inside.

"My butt isn't tiny!" Santana looked a little offended as she checked her ass out in the mirror.

"You are both little slips aren't you, you teenage girls need to seriously eat more food, you're both wasting away to nothingness." Rachel could tell Andre was teasing them both now and she smiled up to him a little flattered that he actually thought she was just as thin and pretty as Santana.

"Now Santana are you going to introduce me to your little friend, she looks like she isn't as much of a troublemaker as you are." Andre pulled up a chair near the door so he could see into the hallway and waited for Santana.

"Rachel this is Andre obviously one of the hotel security guards, I met him last night when I came down to use the piano." Santana smirked at him as he scoffed at her.

"More like I caught the little thief trying to pick the lock so she could get in to play the piano." Andre teased Santana as she pouted at him.

"Andre this is Rachel Berry, she is probably our best singer, even though I can sometimes give her a run for her money." Santana pulled Rachel forward so she could shake Andre's hand. Rachel couldn't help but blush at the compliment that Santana had just given her.

"I should be in for a good song then if you are a better singer than this little thief Rachel." Andre smiled at Rachel as he took her hand to shake it gently.

"I hope I can meet your standards sir, I always strive to do my best, and of course Santana does have a very unique voice suited to Jazz and R&B that I am unable to match, but I do believe that I am more than capable in my areas of expertise and my expansive repertoire in Broadway musicals." Rachel declared very informatively to the kind man allowing them to use the piano.

"Wow you weren't kidding Santana, she does like to give speeches doesn't she." Andre teased Rachel and patted her shoulder to let her know he was just kidding. "So I know you two girls are writing a song for the competition but I would love to hear something before I head back out to my desk, Santana here begged me to let her bring you down and I agreed only if you both sing a song for me." Andre smiled at her kindly.

"Of course sir, it would be my absolute pleasure to demonstrate our musical talents to you this evening." Rachel beamed at the opportunity to show off her musical skills even to an audience of one.

"Rachel, please just call me Andre, all this 'sir' stuff is making me look over my shoulder to see if one of the hotel managers has snuck up behind us." Andre smiled reassuringly at Rachel but still took a quick look in the hallway again to make sure there wasn't anyone else on the floor.

"Rachel, I was thinking we could do your song from Regionals, 'Get it Right' and I could do 'Back to Black' before we get down to writing some music." Santana turned on the microphone before sitting down at the grand piano.

"Santana, not to question your ability but I have never once seen or heard you play the piano before, perhaps it would be better if I played the piano for both of our numbers, as you must know I am a consummate professional and I think it would be incumbent upon us to put forth an exceptional song performance as our gracious host is allowing us to use this piano to practice on." Rachel looked at Santana sitting behind the piano confidently and was a little uncertain.

"Ah, my dear Miss Berry you have stricken me straight to the heart with your assumptions about my lack of professional piano skills, perhaps it would be wise if you were to hear me play the piano before you choose to pre-emptively question my talents." Santana flashed Rachel a devilish smile before she opened some sheet music from her binder and began to play.

Rachel felt her jaw almost drop to the floor as she watched Santana's fingers flash over the keys playing Mozart concerto n.14 KV 449. Rachel watched in absolute astonishment as Santana played the entire concerto straight through. Through the entire performance Santana would occasionally stick her tongue out at Rachel during the more difficult finger runs as Santana worked through them effortlessly. Rachel could tell that Santana had obviously had intensive piano lessons in order to perform so effortlessly at this level.

"So Miss Berry, though I must admit I may not be quite up to Babette Ployer's standard when she first played this concerto in 1784, I do believe that my performance is adequate for our current needs. However if you require it, I can of course continue to demonstrate my talents further." Santana stuck her tongue out at Rachel again drawing a quiet laugh from Andre as he stood to clap after Santana's fantastic performance.

"Why have you never played for us in Glee Santana, you are amazing." Rachel was actually in awe of Santana's capability with the piano, she could play piano herself, but nowhere near Santana's level of competence with the instrument.

"I think Rachel that is a story for another day that I would prefer not to discuss." There was a flash of anger on Santana's face that Rachel didn't understand, but it vanished and was replaced by a smile of camaraderie as Santana said, "I just wanted you to see that I can manage myself just fine from this piano chair and that we should get on with our songs for Andre and finish writing us some songs for Nationals."

Rachel could tell that Santana didn't want to talk about her piano skills and was trying to change the subject back to the reason they were there in the first place. For the first time in their High School lives Rachel realized that she knew absolutely nothing about Santana's parents and what her life at home is like. She knew that Santana's parents were very well off and that would explain how Santana had been trained extensively on the piano.

"You have demonstrated your piano skills quite competently Santana so I will proceed with my song first as you are already at the piano." Rachel smiled at Santana and then Andre as she took her position in front of the microphone. Rachel did notice from the corner of her eye that Santana had flipped through her binder of sheet music and Rachel felt flattered that Santana actually kept a copy of her song "Get it Right". Santana played the opening bars of the song and queued Rachel with a quick nod to start. As the two girls performed together Rachel noticed that Santana was using the mic at the piano to sing backing vocals to add more intensity to the song. After they finished performing "Get It Right" both girls stood up together and bowed to Andre who clapped enthusiastically for their performance.

"You girls have definitely made my night, not very often I can say I got to watch two young pretty girls performing a concert for me." Andre smiled at the two girls, but once again checked the hallway to make sure the floor was empty, he was on the job after all.

"I believe it is Santana's turn to astonish us, she has picked a musical choice that is exceptionally suited to her vocal capabilities." Rachel moved toward the piano as Santana took her position at the mic. As she sat down Rachel saw that Santana had already put up the sheet music for "Back to Black" ready and waiting for Rachel.

"Thank you Rachel, as you know I always strive to put you in your place." Santana smirked at Rachel sitting behind the piano and Rachel answered by sticking her tongue out at Santana as she started playing the opening bars to "Back to Black." If anyone had come on the floor at that moment they would have shared Andre's belief that these two girls were almost born to perform together, their voices interweaved so well and they seemed to instinctively understand each other. As Andre watched Santana belt out the song and Rachel played piano and sang the backing vocals, he could feel the intensity that both girls put into the music. After they finished he stood up once again and clapped loudly at their performance.

"Well girls, you have definitely made an old man's night, I do need to ask you to keep the microphones turned off while you work on your songs, just in case the manager comes up. Also if you hear the elevators just keep quiet for a bit until I tell you the coast is clear."

"Thank you Andre, you are a lifesaver." Santana went over and gave the guard a quick hug that caused him to blush with embarrassment.

"Just don't get me into trouble little thief." Andre said as he ruffled Santana's hair and waved to Rachel. As he was leaving he turned off all the lights except the ones over the piano and the row of banquet tables beside.

"Now Rachel, let's get this song written so we can actually show up at Nationals with something to perform, I made a bunch of notes and I think between us we can polish it up and come up with a decent song." Santana motioned Rachel over to one of the banquet tables where she spread out her notes and some runs of music.

The two girls worked through the entire night on the song, rewriting, editing, and changing until they were satisfied they had it polished as much as they possibly could. Santana and Rachel took turns on the piano and on the different vocal parts to perfect the big group number they were going to perform in two days time. The entire group would still have to practice the song and Brittany and Mike would have to come up with choreography but the song was starting to sound good enough to impress even Santana and Rachel's critical ears. They titled the group number "Light up the World" and it would have parts for almost everyone in the Glee club to showcase as many talents as possible.

"Santana, are you sure you are ok with some of these lyrics." Rachel looked up from the copying she was doing to express the concern she had all night. There was an implication in this song that she was worried that Santana wasn't ready to expose to the entire Glee club yet.

"It's fairly vague Rachel, I am sure no one will really notice." Santana's expression was slightly annoyed by the question, but not angry. Rachel was surprised that Santana didn't blow up at her after pointing out the relationship hints of the song.

"Santana..." Rachel started but then Santana interrupted.

"Not right now Rachel, Ok?" Santana's expression wasn't angry, just sad. "I am not ready to talk about it yet, so I am going to ask you nicely to just let this go for now. I will even make you a promise Rachel when I am ready to talk about it, you will be one of the first I go to."

"Since we wrote the song together, I will just say we were writing about all our relationship problems we had all year." Rachel says softly as she reaches out to squeeze Santana's hand.

"That's exactly what it is, about everyone, not anyone specific." Santana gives her a sad smile and squeezes the offered hand back. "Well I definitely wants to get me some sleep, so let's finish these copies and get to bed."

After an hour the girls finished the final song draft for "Light up the World", they tidied up the ballroom to try and erase any signs that they used the room that night. They turned off the lights and walked out quietly to the guard desk to say goodnight to Andre and thank him profusely for allowing them to use the piano. After he shooed them off the floor Santana and Rachel returned to the hotel room exhausted but satisfied that between the two of them they had finished the big group number...

Of course two days later Finn would force a kiss on Rachel during the duet performance that Mr. Schuester, Finn, and Puck wrote together. The kiss that cost them Nationals, the kiss that destroyed the tentative friendship between Santana and Rachel. No one really understood why Santana was so angry at Rachel and not Finn, but Rachel understood perfectly, during that night when they wrote the song together they had felt connected in their mutual love for music and performing. Santana had believed that Rachel wanted to win Nationals as bad as she did and Santana felt betrayed because Rachel had allowed Finn to ruin the performance by kissing her on stage. As Rachel always knew and accepted more than anyone else, Santana loved Glee passionately, and Rachel had unwittingly sabotaged their performance.


	3. A Friend in Pain

**Title:** Who Knew?

**Chapter 3: **A Friend in Pain

**Character(s):** Santana Lopez, Rachel Berry, Quinn Fabray (main characters)

**Rating:** M for possible adult content

**Genre:** Hurt/Comfort/Coming Out

**Description:** Santana recalls the events between Nationals in May and the summer before Senior Year. She recalls the falling out between her and Brittany and how that lead to a friendship with Rachel Berry.

* * *

><p><em>Glee and the characters of Glee do not belong to me, they belong to Fox Network. This is fan fiction only.<em>

_The lyrics and song "Who Knew" belongs to the musician known as Pink.  
><em>

_I welcome feedback and suggestions._

_This story will be focused primarily on Santana Lopez, Rachel Berry, and Quinn Fabray. I haven't decided on all the couple matches yet and everything is fluid and up and the air. I left some hints in the first chapter about the current status of several couples but these things are not set in stone, I am going to allow this story to flow fluidly and am not going to try to fit it to any particular ship. I may pursue some D/s relationship themes in this story._

_Santana Lopez is a lesbian in this story and her sexuality will not be in doubt whatsoever, she will not be dating male characters. I haven't decided if any of the common ships will even end up together, I am keeping things open and fluid at this point. Santana and Brittany had a falling and at the beginning of Senior Year their friendship is strained._

_This AU story takes place after the events of Season 2 and the episode "New York". I may take things from Season 3 and use them in my story but I will not follow canon after Season 2. _

* * *

><p><strong>Who Knew?<strong>

_**If someone said three years from now  
>You'd be long gone<br>I'd stand up and punch them out  
>Cause they're all wrong<br>I know better  
>Cause you said forever<br>And ever  
>Who knew<strong>_

**Chapter 3: A Friend in Pain**

_** Present (September 2011) - 1st Day of Classes - Senior Year **_

There were several moments that Santana recalled that told her that maybe she and Brittany would not work out. Just before New Directions did the big performance of "Born this Way" Brittany had mentioned that Santana was _Lebanese_ and that Brittany was _Bi-Curious_. Those words should have given her a hint of what was to come, but at the time she thought maybe Brittany was mixing up bisexual and bi-curious in the same way she was mixing up lesbian and Lebanese. Secretly she had hoped that as long as Brittany continued to be interested in being with a girl that Santana herself stood a chance at winning Brittany back...

* * *

><p><em>** May 2011 - The day after the New Directions lost at Nationals - Santana's POV **<em>

On the plane ride back from New York, Santana was reading an article about the New York State Senate debate on the Gay Marriage Bill. It looked hopeful, a lot of people believed that it was going to pass this time and that very soon Gay Marriage would be legal in the state of New York. For Santana this good news couldn't have come at a better time in her life, after the New Directions loss at Nationals she might actually have something to look forward to. If she maintained her 4.0 GPA she might be able to get an academic scholarship and go to NYU, Barnard, or Columbia and get as far away from Lima, Ohio as possible. Although the only disadvantage to this future dream would be that she would be in the same city as Rachel fucking Berry, but hopefully Rachel would fall into the sewers or something and then life in New York would be absolutely perfect.

For several minutes Santana just daydreamed about weddings and beautiful white dresses and walking down the aisle and seeing Brittany waiting for her at the altar dressed all in white. Sometimes Santana would dream about waiting for Brittany at the altar, but deep down inside she knows that she wanted to be the one to walk up to meet her fiancé at the altar. A frown crossed her lips as she realized that her father would never participate in a lesbian wedding to give her away, but then she adjusted the dream to have Kurt Hummel give her away instead, and that fit in perfectly because she would need Kurt's help to do all the wedding planning anyway. She just gazed dreamily at the newspaper thinking about how wonderful it would be to marry Brittany, to have children someday, a home with Brittany, and even better how much fun the honeymoon would be after the wedding. In her fantasies she saw Brittany carrying her over the threshold into their hotel room and laying her carefully on their bridal bed and slowly ravaging every inch of Santana's body as Brittany stripped away the beautiful wedding dress and the delicate lingerie and ran her hands and lips over every sensitive part of Santana's body...

"What are you reading Santana, you look happy finally, are you done being mad at Rachel?" Brittany asked in her sweet voice from the window seat beside Santana. The light sensual feminine whisper in Santana's ear woke her from her daydream but also sent a shiver through her whole body and she could feel the dampness inside her panties from the daydream and Brittany's voice.

"I will never stop being mad at Rachel Berry, I will never forgive her for letting Finnept ruin our song at Nationals." Santana glared daggers at Rachel's head a few rows down for a moment before realizing that Brittany looked annoyed with her so she dropped that subject and moved on to the happier one she had just been dreaming about, "I am reading about the Gay Marriage Bill in New York, it's so exciting Brittany, this means I can get married to the girl I love someday." Santana beamed a loving smile at Brittany.

"That will be awesome for you Santana, I could be your Maid of Honor and help you find the right dress and plan your wedding, it would be so much fun." Brittany's eyes sparkled happily at the idea of helping Santana at her wedding.

"I think I want you to be a more important part of the wedding than just Maid of Honor, BrittBritt." Santana couldn't stop the smile of joy on her lips as she tried to nudge Brittany into realizing what she really wanted.

"Do you want me to perform the ceremony Santana? I guess I could do that but I think you have to get a special driver's licence or something to do that don't you? Although why would you need a driver's licence to help people get married?" Brittany asks Santana with a quizzical expression on her face as she ponders the nature of licences.

"Well that's the Justice of the Peace, and I am sure you could get that if you wanted BrittBritt, but I want you to be with me at the front of the altar saying vows to each other." Santana smiles fondly at Brittany as she tries to lead her to the right answer.

"Shouldn't you be saying your vows to your bride Santana? I don't think your bride would be happy if you said your vows to me." Brittany smiles back happily as she tries to think of all the different roles she could play at the wedding. "Oh wait, I could give you away, that's even more important than Maid of Honor, and I know you told me it would be cold day in hell before your Dad saw you with a girl. By the way how does Hell get cold anyway? Isn't it on fire all the time there, that's what the minister at our church says? Does God put the fires out and make it cold, and that would mean that Satan might actually be happy for once because honestly it's probably not that much fun to be on fire all the time."

It takes a minute for Santana to collect her thoughts from the bombardment of questions. "A cold day in hell is a figure of speech Britts, it just means something that will never happen because Hell is always on fire and God never turns the fire off. Your right though that probably is why Satan is always in a bad mood because being on fire all the time probably isn't much fun." Santana's smile starts to fade a little because she can't understand why Brittany seems to be avoiding the one role that Santana feels should be the first choice. "As for the wedding party, I think Kurt would probably give me away, and I think it would be good role for him. I think if we were saying vows to each other that it would make me the happiest girl on earth."

"But I can't get married to a girl Santana, I have to marry a boy and have babies, I want babies more than anything." Brittany says with a sad expression on her face, it would be nice to marry Santana, but she couldn't live without babies.

"Britt you can have babies and still be married to a girl. I want babies too, and even look at Rachel Berry, she has two dads and they had her as a baby, there are ways to make it happen." Santana smiles gently at Brittany hoping that finally they are on the same page at last.

"But you told me after I thought I was pregnant that boys and girls make babies together. You showed me all the slides and everything so I would understand how it all works. So how can two girls make a baby?" Brittany asks still with a sad expression, it's too bad that her and Santana couldn't get married.

"They have methods to help a girl get pregnant without a boy Brittany, the doctors help and it happens all the time, trust me." Santana couldn't help the downcast look and frustration from crossing her lips and eyes. It was starting to feel like Brittany was trying to avoid any thought of the two of them getting married someday.

"Oh, ok that makes sense. But you know my Mom and Dad still want me to get married to a boy someday and I want to make them happy." Brittany answers with a sad smile, she always knew that someday she would get married to a boy. It was fun to do sexy things with boys and girls but she knew her parents would be disappointed if she didn't marry a boy someday. Brittany and her mom had looked at bridal magazines together and it was so much fun talking about it with her Mom.

"But I thought you loved me Brittany?" Santana asked trying to hold back the tears welling in her eyes. This is happening again, she is being devastated again and this time Artie isn't even causing it, Brittany is doing this to her.

"I do love you Santana, more than anything else in this world, your my best friend and I will always be part of your life. I just want you to be happy." Brittany spoke softly and lightly caressed Santana's cheek and lips with her fingers. She could tell Santana was going to start crying but Brittany didn't see any way around this, she had told Santana that she was bi-curious, although sometimes she thought she was pansexual, but in the end she wanted to make her Mom happy too.

"I... I need to go to the bathroom." Santana didn't want to start sobbing in front of everyone so she unfastens her seatbelt and rushes to the washroom and locks herself in before Brittany can say anything to stop her. Maybe Santana just needs to explain to Brittany that it's possible that her parents will want her to marry a girl. For the next 30 minutes Santana cries softly to herself as she feels her heart breaking once again for the beautiful blonde who doesn't seem to feel the same way she does.

"Santana are you ok, you've been in their a long time, are you sick?" Quinn's voice comes through the door softly as she taps lightly on the door to get Santana's attention.

For a moment Santana considers not answering, but she knows that Quinn hinted that she knew about her and Britt back in New York, and it would be nice to finally talk to someone other than Brittany about everything she is feeling. Sometimes Santana can't help but miss Ms Holliday, the one person she felt safe talking to about her feelings with. Santana opens the washroom door quietly and pulls Quinn inside with her. She tries to say something but her throat is all choked up and all that comes out is a sob and a stream of tears. Quinn pulls Santana into a tight embrace and just holds her while Santana sobs into her shoulder.

* * *

><p><em>** May 2011 - The day after the New Directions lost at Nationals - Quinn's POV **<em>

"Santana, You and I need to have a really serious talk when we get back to Lima, you can't keep it all in like this all the time, you have to let me in, let me help you. Just like you helped me in New York." Quinn says as she gently wipes the tears from Santana's eyes.

Seeing herself in the mirror Quinn has to admit that she has never felt more free and alive than she does now, and just from a different haircut, but she knows it's more than that, it's letting go of the past, letting go of that idiot Finn Hudson, letting go of jealousy of Rachel Berry, and just figuring out who Quinn Fabray really is. Even Rachel's words at Prom struck home, that maybe Quinn doesn't have to be trapped in Lima after high school, maybe there is more to her than just a pretty face and that she can get out of that crappy town just like Rachel, Kurt, and Santana obviously will.

Even though Santana didn't realize it, Quinn and Mercedes overheard pretty much the entire conversation between Brittany and Santana. Luckily no one else seemed to notice, and the people sitting behind Brittany and Santana weren't even from Lima from what she could tell, they looked like Japanese businessmen. She remember the look of shock on Mercedes face as she realized what Santana was trying to prompt out of Brittany, Santana wants to marry a girl, she wants to marry Brittany. Quinn could only feel sorrow for Santana as she realized that Santana was hitting a brick wall that seemed almost insurmountable. When Quinn realized that Santana wasn't coming back and that Brittany looked like she was going to try and find her, Quinn decided it would be best if she stepped in and stopped that from happening. Quinn didn't think that Brittany, the source of Santana's pain, would be very comforting for Santana right now. She convinced Brittany to let her go find Santana and to talk with Mercedes for a while. Quinn had almost laughed when Mercedes gave her a pleading desperate look that completely showed how frustrating sitting beside Brittany would be.

Quinn knew Santana's parents and she knew that they were going to end up being write offs in Santana's future because they were pretty much exactly like her Dad, in fact as far as Quinn knew they were still friends with her asshole of a father. She remembered going over to Santana's one time after the pregnancy and Santana's mother and father had looked at her with distaste like she was some kind of pariah in their home, pretty much the same way Quinn's father had looked when he found out she was pregnant. Yep, Santana's parents are not going to be in her life past high school, possibly earlier if Santana can't maintain the facade into Senior Year. Quinn had been seeing the signs for months that Santana could come out at any time, and she had even sounded out her Mom a few times to find out how her Mom felt about gays and lesbians, because Quinn knew instinctively that Santana was going to need a place to live before the end of 2011.

But on the other hand Brittany's parents for all their open psychology child rearing notions were also church going and they might be way more understanding than Santana's parents, Quinn still suspected that they might not be 'that understanding' when push came to shove. Santana had accepted her parents as write offs, but she hadn't considered the influence of Brittany's parents. Quinn understood how Santana could have made that mistake, it was easy because Santana's parents were barely in her life at all, except to make sure she got straight A's on her report card and giving her a nice allowance and presents as long as Santana towed the line and went to Church on Sundays. Out of sight, out of mind that seemed to be the way Santana's parents operated. As long as Santana maintained the appearance of the perfect doting Catholic and proud Hispanic daughter they mostly left Santana alone to do what she wanted. That was why Santana had always been careful not getting caught doing anything wrong. Quinn even recalled the one time Santana almost got caught for shoplifting and managed to talk, flirt, and charm her way out of it like a pro. By the time Santana was done she had those three mall security guards practically drooling at the idea of taking her to a movie and buying her dinner at BreadStix.

But Brittany loved her parents completely. They were always in Brittany's life, family game nights, family movie nights, family picnics, family vacations. Brittany's parents practically worshipped their two daughters and indulged their every whim as long as it was semi-educational. As far as Quinn could remember Brittany's parents only allowed her to watch cartoons, the discovery channel, the nature channel, and maybe PBS. Quinn sometimes wondered how Brittany ended up being so sexually aggressive when she had such a sheltered loving upbringing. Perhaps that was Santana's bad influence more than anything, in Santana's struggle to be straight she may have inadvertently influenced Brittany to experiment with as many people as possible. Quinn couldn't help but be reminded of the time she walked in on one of Santana and Brittany's interesting experiments with Santana bound and gagged naked on the bed while Brittany teased her girlfriend absolutely senseless. Quinn remembers that Santana told her after that it was the first time Santana truly understood what subspace meant and how intense it was. Of course that was back in the "innocent days" when sex was not dating and Santana and Brittany both tried to maintain the outward appearance of being straight by both having boyfriends.

Quinn smiles down softly at Santana remembering how she used to pray for Santana all the time. Quinn didn't have any illusions about her very hedonistic Latina best friend, she knew exactly what kind of things Santana got up to because Santana always liked teasing Quinn with the stories all the time. Quinn had always hoped that by forcing Santana into the Chastity Club and Christian Crusaders that she could somehow get the girl to give up her evil sinful ways. Even the day that Santana and Quinn went to the mall and Santana shoplifted those designer boots and got caught, Quinn almost cried because she felt the guilt by association and she was praying the whole time that Santana was in the guards office at the mall.

Of course that was also back in Quinn's own "innocent days" when she was still trying to be the pure chaste Christian girl for her Daddy's approval. Quinn had found that a lot of her religious sensibilities started to fade after the pregnancy with Puck, the whole paternity fiasco with Finn and Puck, and her friendship with Mercedes. Maybe it had also been Mercedes taking her to the Baptist church where people actually found joy worshipping God, and sang that joy out with so much passion that Quinn couldn't help but be inspired by their faith.

Of course in this whole Junior Year she had allowed her obsession with regaining her popularity at McKinley override her moral compass completely. She had thrown her best friend Santana under a bus to become head cheerleader again, she had dropped her friendship with Mercedes and avoided her most of the school year, she had destroyed her relationship with Sam because she wanted the higher popularity that Finn would bring to her Prom Queen campaign and to pound Rachel Berry into the ground once and for all. Quinn was starting to think though that she might try to step in and save Rachel from getting involved with Finn again, after Finn broke up with her at a funeral she couldn't stop thinking that she wouldn't wish him as a boyfriend on her worst enemy. The last thing Rachel Berry needs is to be tied to that idiot, especially if Finn wins out in his way too obvious campaign to get into Rachel Berry's panties. At the very least Quinn decides she will make sure Rachel knows that she never slept with Finn and that they didn't do more than kiss. Quinn wasn't a hypocrite, when she reformed the Chastity Club with Rachel she was sincere, she never did more than kiss Finn, there was no way under heaven that she was going to risk getting pregnant in High School ever again.

After the conversation and spa day with Brittany and Santana in New York, Quinn had decided her first step on the path back to being a good person was to reach out to Mercedes and regain their friendship again. Even though she hadn't done anything mean to Mercedes, she still had tossed their friendship aside like it didn't mean anything and she wanted to make up for that. It had been one of her best days in a long time having breakfast in the morning with Mercedes, waiting at the airport together, and sitting beside each other. Quinn had even given Mercedes a gentle nudge about accepting the invitation to coffee from Sam when they get back, they would actually make a cute couple and it would be nice to see two people be happy who actually genuinely deserve it.

Now holding Santana in her arms Quinn knows that the next thing she needs to do is help Santana get through what is coming. As hard as Kurt had it at McKinley Quinn knows that Santana is going to get it worse when she comes out. Kurt was fortunate in one thing, girls liked him and didn't see him as threatening, most straight girls actually don't mind gay men because they are seen as safe friends, but lesbian girls that is a whole other issue. There was one girl named Sarah on the soccer team that had come out at the school before Kurt, and he probably didn't remember her but Sarah had committed suicide after all of the "girl bullying" that had been directed at her. Quinn hadn't been involved in any of that, with friends like Santana and Brittany Quinn would never have participated in that kind of bullying anyway. In a way Santana's tough girl reputation will come back to bite her after she comes out, everyone who was afraid of Santana would see being a lesbian as a weakness that can be exploited and attacked and they would not hesitate to get revenge on Santana through it.

Quinn resolves she is going to have to sound out her fellow Glee clubbers to find out who knows about Santana and make sure that they keep their mouths shut or they will answer to her. Santana is going to come out eventually, but Quinn knows she is going to damn well make sure that it is going to be Santana's decision to do so and not an accidental slip by someone in the Glee Club. Perhaps she will talk it over with Puck, it might help to have one of the boys on her side in this, and he would definitely be a help in making sure the gossipers toe the line on this subject.

"Let me fix your makeup Santana, it's my turn to take care of you." Quinn says softly to Santana as she helps her best friend to stand up.

"Why are you being so nice Quinn? I thought you were still mad at everyone." Santana says roughly in her tear strained voice.

"Because you took me out to the spa in New York and made me feel happy for the first time in months, and I realized I missed my best friend." Quinn pulled Santana close to her and hugged her tightly. "I am not letting you go this time S, this time I am going to put our friendship first, no more Cheerios getting in the way, no Prom crown, no popularity, and no Glee club, just my friends."

"I missed you too Q, so much, and I am so lonely." Santana starts to sob again thinking about her earlier conversation with Brittany.

"It's ok Santana, I really know what you are going through, and I know how much you are hurting." Quinn sees the fear fly over Santana's face and before Santana can say a word Quinn continues, "Santana I know you aren't ready to talk about it, but I know it's there and I'll be here waiting when you are ready to talk, and I will always accept you."

"Q..." Santana stutters trying to get the words out. "She doesn't want me, I keep trying and trying and she just doesn't want me, what is wrong with me, why doesn't she want me back, why doesn't anyone ever want me back." All the years of being dropped by boyfriends for other girls had always hurt Santana, but now having the girl she loves do the same thing is tearing her heart apart.

"It's going to be ok, I really believe it will. I am not sure why Brittany isn't ready to be in a relationship with you, but don't give up yet, give it a bit more time and talk with her some more before you give up. I know she loves you as more than just a friend, I just think she is torn up about also being what her parents want her to be." Quinn hopes and prays that Brittany will wake up and stop toying with Santana's emotions this way. She knows that Brittany is uncertain, but she also knows that Brittany is trying to have it both ways, friends with benefits talking about emotions together, while Santana wants the whole package a girlfriend to spend the rest of her life with. If they don't find a common ground soon Quinn can see that Brittany is going to end up losing Santana's friendship.

"Now let's go back to everyone before they think we are making out together in this airplane bathroom. With your reputation Santana they probably all think you are trying to introduce me to the mile high club or something." Quinn can't help laugh at the expression on Santana's face at her statement. She can tell Santana is still not quite ready to step out of the closet yet, and the irony is hilarious that straight laced Quinn is more at ease with Santana's sexuality than Santana is herself.

"Don't start spreading rumors about me Fabray, or I'll go all Lima Heights Adjacent on you." Santana almost growls at Quinn.

"Shush S, stop making empty threats, your just a softy and I know it. You don't even know where Lima Heights Adjacent is Santana." Quinn laughs at her friend and Santana can't help but grin in response at the teasing.

"I missed you too Q, more than you can ever guess." Santana says softly as she pulls Quinn into a tight hug.

"I promise you Santana, you can trust me with everything, I will never betray you again." Quinn knows that they are just words, but she desperately hopes that Santana will believe her. She knows deep down that repairing the damage of betraying Santana's surgery to Sue Sylvester is going to take more than a heartfelt bathroom talk on an airplane.

"We better go back out, I'll sit with Brittany and you can sit with Mercedes. I think you need a break for a little bit. And Santana, Mercedes and I both overheard your discussion with Britt, but she will not tell anyone. You might be surprised how many people in Glee club actually respect your privacy on this subject, we all know you need time, so don't be afraid to ask any of us for help, we are all here for you Santana." Quinn just hopes that Mercedes has enough tact not to pry into Santana's feelings for Brittany and sticks to just talking about other things. Quinn decides she will pass Mercedes a note instructing her to stick to fashion, movies, and music and no boyfriend/girlfriend talk at all.

The two girls leave the washroom and move back down to their seats. Quinn gently nudges Santana to sit beside Mercedes and she gives Mercedes the little note. A quick nod from Mercedes tells Quinn that she understands. Quinn sits beside Brittany and convinces Brittany to read a book with her for the remainder of the flight. The book on bird migration patterns is actually fairly interesting and Quinn notes that Brittany is getting better in overcoming her dyslexia. Sometimes Quinn wonders if Santana would ever consider being a teacher, because her patience with Brittany's learning disability has accomplished more than any of the specialists that Brittany has ever visited over the years.

The rest of the flight is peaceful and Quinn starts to feel like maybe she is finally getting some of her friends back. It would be nice to have a decent boyfriend, but for once she is happy that she just has friends in her life again...


End file.
